Emanuel Cleaver pens song for Rand Paul

Rep. Emanuel Cleaver says he has a song he’s working on for Sen. Rand Paul and others who oppose extending unemployment benefits to sing.

“In 1966, your former boss, Rev, wrote a song called, ‘Say it loud, I’m black and I’m proud,’” Cleaver told host the Rev. Al Sharpton on MSNBC’s “Politics Nation” on Monday night. “I’m writing on a song now that I hope Sen. Paul and others will sing. It’s called, ‘Say it loud, I’m stingy and I’m stuck,’ because I think that that’s exactly what is going on here.”

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The Missouri Democrat was responding to comments from Paul that extended unemployment benefits act as a “disincentive” for unemployed people to look for work. He said that was untrue of his constituents that are receiving unemployment insurance.

“It is frustrating for many of them to receive aid, because they are people who have been working on jobs. And many of them are struggling,” Cleaver said. “Most of those people are embarrassed and are wanting to do something.”

Cleaver said the Kentucky Republican senator should know that.

“Sen. Paul knows better than that. He’s from Kentucky, a very poor state.”

The Senate is scheduled to vote Tuesday morning on a proposal to extend for three months unemployment benefits, which expired in late December. Ahead of the vote, the margin appeared to be very close. If it passes the Senate, the bill also faces an uphill climb in the House.

Cleaver said he hopes the bill will get a vote in the House and that Republicans join with Democrats to pass the extension.